During a water crisis in California, the state and local governments ran a program for residents, offering rebates to people who replaced their lawns and landscaping with plants that can survive drought conditions and don’t require constant watering. Now people who received rebates are getting a surprise in the mail: they’ve received letters saying that they have to pay federal taxes on that money. [More]

The world was shocked, simply shocked to hear this week that actor Tom Selleck was embroiled in a water hullabaloo out in California. After the Calleguas Municipal Water District filed a lawsuit accusing the Magnum P.I. star and his wife of stealing water by the truckload from a fire hydrant, the two sides have reportedly reached a tentative settlement.

While Tom Selleck has a starring role in many fans’ mustache-tic fantasies, the Three Men and a Baby actor is being cast in an entirely different light in a new lawsuit: The Calleguas Municipal Water District claims in a recent complaint that Selleck has been playing a water thief, allegedly pilfering precious water from a public fire hydrant and having it hauled it back to his 60-acre ranch in another water district.

California is in the middle of a long drought right now, with state officials asking everyone to pitch in and do their best to conserve water. But that’s a bit tricky for the state’s denim industry, which produces about 75% of the “premium” jeans sold worldwide. Because getting that expensive, distressed vintage look is all about washing… and washing again, and again. With water, of course, which is in short supply.

For those who don’t live in California, it might seem like the drought is only a problem in that state — ‘Their lawns may be brown but mine’s not, so who cares?” an uncool citizen of the world might say. But you start jacking up the prices at sushi restaurants around the country and suddenly, it looks like it could be everyone’s problem. [More]

When you’re in a steady relationship, communication is clear. Because when mom says to do one thing, and dad says another, the kids get really confused. Such is the case in California, where the state has issued rules for homeowners to conserve water in the midst of extreme drought, with fines of $500 per day or violating those guidelines, but one city is threatening to fine a couple $500 — unless they water their lawn. [More]

When you turn on the hose outside to wash your car or set up the sprinkler so the kids can run through it on a hot day, what kind of price tag would you put on that water use? If you’re living in some parts of California, there might be a price tag of $500 floating in front of your eyes as residents face hefty potential fines for violating new water restrictions in the drought-stricken state. [More]

Due to what many experts are calling one of the worst droughts this country has seen in decades, consumers could start seeing the effects of the Midwest’s damaged grain crops reflected in their grocery store receipts. But don’t stockpile corn flakes — it’s more likely prices will go up for meat and dairy products.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared a state of natural disaster in more than 1,000 counties spread across 26 states, as drought and fires have hit the country hard this season. That covers about a third of all the farmers in the country.

Christmas trees might be more expensive this year, thanks to a drought in the southeast, says NPR. Don’t worry, the trees didn’t die or anything, they’re just much more expensive to grow thanks to the water shortage.

There’s a compelling argument that genetically modified crops is the only way to adequately feed a world population of which a large percentage is starving. For people in some countries, the creation of a drought or locust resistant crop might be the only thing standing between farmers and financial ruin or starvation. Luckily, in America, this isn’t a problem most people have to face. Consequently, the sales and production of organic foods is on the rise as many consumers avoid what they feel to be unnatural, which is a totally valid and important choice for a responsible consumer in a first-world country to make… especially given the controversy surrounding G.E. foods.